


How do you keep a wave upon the sand?

by WeAreStarStuff



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale and Crowley Met Before The Fall (Good Omens), M/M, Unrequited Love, angel!Crowley, or probably just obsession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-06 20:04:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20512724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeAreStarStuff/pseuds/WeAreStarStuff
Summary: A tale of three Principalities.Gabriel notices his Eager P.A., Aziraphael, spending way too much time with a lowly principality. He decides to do something about that. The consequences are ... lasting.Aziraphale and Crowley find each other anyway and Gabriel learns something. Maybe.Edited 10/23/19 (fixed some clunky bits!)





	How do you keep a wave upon the sand?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [before the beginning](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/516377) by wearestarstuff618. 

> kind of a sequel to a post I wrote on tumblr.
> 
> but can be read as stand alone

Act l

“_ Zira. Aziraphael! Cherub Aziraphael!” _aziraphael shook himself from his thoughts. Gabriel was looking at him expectantly. 

“Oh right! I was paying attention!” He said nervously, “I heard everything you- oh alright I honestly didn’t hear a thing. I apologize, but my mind has been elsewhere lately.”

Gabriel smiled co-conspiratorially. “And would you care to tell me about just where or to whom rather?” The Archangel had followed his gaze to the stars where Aziraphael had been resting a moment prior.

Aziraphael gave him a smile back. One that would one day be called smug. “No I don’t think I will.”

Gabriel laughed it sounded different though. The word “forced” hadn’t been invented yet. 

“That Principality is certainly talented. A true craftsman. But we all have our parts to play in creation. And I just worry that you interfering with his might be... disastrous.” 

Aziraphael flushed. “I’m sorry, but I don’t rightly know what you mean-”

“Peace Zira!” He raised a hand, “I’m simply want you to be careful.”

He sighed. He wasn’t sure why but he felt a weight had been lifted off his shoulders,(though a heavier one might be placed there in its stead) “Thank you, Gabriel.”

“Think nothing of it.” Gabriel Cupped his face thumb dragging down his face ever so softly.

Aziraphael felt oddly uncomfortable. Strange. He normally enjoyed Gabriel’s attention, but this time it felt… empty? Cold? He didn’t have a word for it.

“I… have to go.” He excused himself quietly. “Work to do.”

“That’s my Cherub!” Gabriel beamed, “So Dutiful!”

He walked away quietly. Pondering his newfound feeling of discomfort. 

***

“_ Why do you do wear that? It a Halo violation. _”

“_ it’s a little snake constellation! It’s _ nice! _ And I’ve been told it suits me. I _ designed _ the snake you know!” _

***

“So you see Aziraphael, sir, it’s all in the wrist! You gotta keep it just so.”

Long elegant fingers covered his and guided them into an elaborate movement. 

The result was a colorful smear of dust and ionized gasses that vaguely looked like a horse’s head. Or would, when horses were invented. 

“Not bad. You’d make a fair star weaver with a bit of practice.” Aziraphael wiggled into the Principality’s chest at the praise. 

“Can we do this more often?” 

“Whenever you like.” 

He couldn’t pinpoint what it was yet, but he felt warm and full.

“Soon then.”

“As you wish.”

***

_ “Have you heard about Her new project?” _

_ “I think She called ‘physicality’.” _

“_ What do think it’ll be like?” _

_ “Well, if she’s making it, then it’s bound to be wonderful!” _

_ “There are some that aren’t so sure…” _

_ “Oh tosh! That’s just the Morning Star being jealous again. You shouldn’t listen to him. It’s going to be just grand! You’ll see!” _

_ “You’re going to be assigned there, aren’t you?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “We probably won’t see much of each other any more.” _

_ “I suppose not.” _

_ “...” _

_ *** _

“So That Principality. Huh.”

The Morning Star said nothing, just glared and turned back towards his rough drafts.

“Don’t be like that! After all, I think you could use an imagination like his on your team. Think of all he could do if he simply channeled his gifts. If only he had a proper mentor. On the other hand, I bet he would get up to all kinds of mischief. So maybe it’s truly better to let that one be.”

Again, silence.

He gave the Morning Star a pat on the shoulder. “Good talk.”

The Morning Star’s hands stilled. “A proper mentor.”

…

“Why though?” Aziraphael cocked his head to side. 

“What do you mean why?! You’re beautiful! Your song can make the Morning Star jealous! Everyone loves Us! We’re perfect together!”

“Is that all?”

“What do you mean by that? It’s always been _ us. Together. __The dream team! _Why change that? What else is there?”

Aziraphael thought of Stars and jokes and arguments on how bees were going to fly without miracles. 

“It you have to ask, then I can’t explain it to you.”

“Now Zira, what does _ that _ mean?”

“It means… it means I’m sorry Gabriel, but I can’t do this anymore. I want… I just want space.”

...

_ “ _There’s something I want you to see!” 

Aziraphael smiled. “Lead the way then.”

...

“Ta-da!”

“It’s an … eye.”

“Well, it’s your eyes. Well, one of them. I didn’t have enough space for both. And I didn’t quite get the color right, but-“

“Shhhh.” He pressed their mouths together, inventing the first kiss (it tasted of stardust). “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

The Principality looked at him in stunned silence before pulling them back together. 

They spent a long time like that. Completely oblivious to the witness in the distance. 

…

_ “Soo. Eden. Huh?” _

_ “Yeah. That’s what I heard She was calling it. A garden. Whatever that is.” _

_ “Aren’t the Cherubs meant to be stationed there? What about your Cherub?” _

_ “We really haven’t discussed that yet. But we’ll figure something out! What about you? Aren’t you a Cherub too? Aren’t you going?” _

_ “Ah well, plans can change! Maybe She’ll see reason and keep me by her side where I belong! Maybe you could ask to be sent with him.” _

_ “Maybe I will!” _

_ *** _

_ “Do You really have to go?” _

_ “You know as well as I do that we all have our parts to play. And we shouldn’t question them, my dear.” _

_ “I know but-.” _

_ “I was going to hold off on this, but now it’s my turn to give you a gift. here. Take it.” _

_ “it’s pretty.” _

_ “I made it! It’s a red dwarf like your hair! Just a little one to fit in your pocket though! … and maybe even think of me now and then?” _

_ “Always.” _

_ I don’t know if I can ever love this garden. Even if it _ is _ Her creation, it’s taking you away from me and for that I think I will always hate it. just a little. _

_ *** _

None of this was meant to happen. 

Aziraphael was covered in the golden blood of those he had once considered his brothers and sisters. The constellation that once adorned his head had snapped and shattered and was now left behind somewhere in the city. He stared out at the ruins of the Silver City that had been the battleground of the first war. 

His Principality was nowhere to be found. 

Though the fact that he had found the red dwarf on the ground was telling. 

He would never cast this away like an unwanted trinket. 

He fell to his knees and curled around the star, crushing it to his chest. 

His Principality was either dead or banished along with Lucifer’s legions in the newly created Hell. There really was no difference as far as he could tell. 

He began to cry. 

He felt a strong hand on his shoulder. “Zira.” 

Gabriel was standing over him. Strong and dependable as always. Except there was something off about him. He couldn’t see what though. 

“How?” He rasped. “How could this happen?

“Listen Aziraphael, there was nothing any of us could do. They were simply wrong. And when you do wrong when you’ve been told to do right, you deserve to be punished.”

“But what did he do that was so wrong?!”

“Maybe he was fraternizing with those above his station? It’s no secret you two were close. The first and third spheres are meant to be separate. Maybe She was simply trying to restore the natural order of things.”

He had said too much somewhere. Aziraphael’s eyes had narrowed to little blue slits. “You. It was You wasn’t it? You put him in Lucifer’s path!

“Why did you do it?!”

“He was a bad influence on you!” Gabriel said defensively, “he simply wasn’t right for an Angel of your station!”

“Like who?! _ You _?”

“Well-.”

“Sorry. I just don’t think I’m right for an Angel of your _ station.” _

Aziraphael tried to leave but Gabriel still had an iron hold on him. “_ Don’t touch me!” _ He hissed, “ _ don’t ever touch me!” _

He pulled Aziraphael into an embrace like a steel cage. 

“Shhh. Look, Aziraphael. The city is already ready healing itself. Pretty soon everything will be as it should be. Just rest for now. And when you wake. This whole mess will feel like a bad dream.”

Aziraphael’s eyes were heavy but they bored into Gabriel’s. They weren’t soft and friendly like a clear sky right now, they were cold and biting like steel.

“I hate you.” He said, “no matter what pretty things I say to you when I wake up, I hate you. For now I see you now for what you really are. You are an honorless cur and you are selfish and cowardly. And you disgust me.”

He went limp in Gabriel’s arms. He couldn’t erase everything but he could smudge it. It really would be like a dream. One half forgotten in his memory. But he would have his loving companion back. 

Provided He didn’t run into that Principality again. 

But what were the odds of that?

***

End Act I

***

Act ll

***

The whole thing really had gone down as the Serpent said “Like a lead balloon.” 

And now said serpent was practically snuggling into his side, taking harbor from the first rain. Like he _ belonged _ there or something. Well he _ did _ seem familiar. Maybe...

“I knew you. Didn’t I? We were friends once. I think.”

The Serpent, Crawley, looked at him strangely. Aziraphael desperately hoped the humans would invent language soon. Enochian was terrible for pinpointing exact emotions. 

“If by ‘we’ you mean the Angel I used to be, then yeah, we hung out a few times.”

“Do you remember your name?” 

“It really doesn’t matter if I do or don’t, I think. I’m not him anymore.” _ Being unmade and recycled into something new will do that to a body _. Crawley supposed. He had spent a small eternity (Time was still Her WIP files) in Hell before he had clawed his way topside. A small eternity of hurting. Of hurting others and others hurting him. Any remnants of the Principality he used to be that weren’t burned away, he had angrily clawed out himself. 

“Oh.” The Angel deflated “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not so bad when you get used to it.” 

The watched the rain in silence after that. 

Eventually it was time for them to part ways. 

“Wait!” The Angel called after him.

Crawley stopped and the Angel pulled something small and reddish from his pocket. 

“I think this was meant to be yours.” 

He remembered it. It would take far more than a fall for him to forget it. 

He wanted to grab for it with greedy fingers but instead found himself pushing it away. “I’m sorry. But I don’t think it is.” Maybe one day though his Cherub will find an angel who deserves it. Not him though. Not anymore.

Not when he had a broken constellation heavy in his pocket. 

***

_ “Are sure you’re alright?” _

_ “I’m fine Angel.” _

_ “You were coughing _ blood_!_

_ “I guess She just doesn’t like her name in the mouth of the unclean.” _

_ “I’m sorry.” _

_ “It’s not so bad. Not really.” _

_ “Well I’ve been thinking about a change. Aziraphale is _ Much _ too fussy for a Principality like me. _

_ “A _ what _ ?!” _

_ *** _

Cherub Aziraphael,” Gabriel intoned.

“Heaven has reviewed the case of your failure and has decided to pass judgement on you.”

“Oh?” 

“For your failure to protect the tree, you are to be demoted to the rank of Principality, and banished to the earthly plane indefinitely.”

“I see.” 

“Listen Aziraphael, I’ll try to talk to the others. I’m sure they can be reasoned with. Maybe they’ll agree to a simple re-education.”

“It’s alright Gabriel. I’ll take the demotion.”

“Are you sure? it would only be a few centuries upstairs. Maybe a decade or two of grabbing everyone’s tea order.”

“I’m sure of this.” _ I deserve this. _He thought.

“Please reconsider, Zira.”

“Please understand Gabriel. I just don’t think I can go back there quite yet. The War… it just _ changed _ things. It just feels so empty and lonely up there.”

“It wouldn’t have to be. We could be together again. Your punishment would be over fairly quickly. And in time you could be put back on the career track again. Be my personal Assistant again. And eventually a seraph.”

“I already gave you my answer Gabriel. I am content with their decision.”

“I see. Then please turn around and manifest your wings. Sandalphon is going to Confiscate them.”

Gabriel took a seat in a corner. 

Sandalphon came forward there was a glint in his eye. Cain had taught him the word. Malice. 

He pinned Aziraphael down and pulled out a brilliant flaming knife.

“Careful.” Aziraphael ground out, “Wrath is a sin after all.”

“Sandalphon. Whenever you’re ready.” He stared with a strange intensity. Like he was interested in how this would turn out.

He bit his tongue clean in half. Twice. He refused to give them the satisfaction of his screams.

***

_ “Aziraphael! Fancy seeing you here!” _

_ “You sent me here. And it’s Aziraphale these days.” _

_ “Oh! Well! You remember Sandalphon, right?” _

_ “Vividly.” _

_ “Oh right. Your um… no hard feelings about that right?” _

_ “Of course not.” _

_ “See?! We’re all getting along swimmingly!” _

_ “Yeah swimmingly.” _

_ *** _

Aziaraphale paced the arc, doing his rounds. Noah and his not inconsiderable menagerie seemed to be doing fine if a little cranky. 

Then, a familiar presence made itself known to him. 

“Hello Aziraphael!”

“I’ve told you before, it’s Aziraphale.”

Gabriel made a face like he had sucked on a lemon. 

“Anything to report _ Aziraphale? _”

“Not particularly. Everything seems to be according to plan.”

“Glad to hear it!” 

“Why are we doing this?” He asked in a hoarse whisper.

“Doing what?”

“We just slaughtered countless humans! Women! Children!”

“Sinners.”

“Can you honestly say that everyone who died out there deserved it?” Aziraphale asked, “cause I can’t. Sure, there might have been a few bad apples but they didn’t spoil the whole bunch.”

“They were abominations! They needed to be wiped out!”

“Abominations?!”

“Half breeds! They shouldn’t exist.”

“But they were half _ Angel! _Shouldn’t that count for something?! Aren’t we supposed to be the good guys?! Why are we indiscriminately slaughtering our kind?!”

“In case you’ve forgotten, demons were also _our kind.” _Gabriel forced himself to calm down. “Listen, Zira, after all this is over why don’t you come back upstairs for a few decades. We can take some vacation time together and sing a couple celestial melodies! You used to love singing with me!”

“Back upstairs. Hmm. I’ll think about it.”

“Please do. You’ve been away too long. Just come home for a while. It’s not right to work yourself the way you have. Come home. You don’t belong down here.”

Gabriel turned on his heel, and vanished into the shadows. 

“Home.” Aziraphale murmured.

Later that night he went down to the galley. It gave him a strange feeling. He followed that feeling to a corner and found a pocket dimension. 

Inside was a demon and roughly twenty sleeping children. 

Crowley had stared intently as if to say, _ Well? Do you plan to do something or just stand there and gawk all day? _

Aziraphale didn’t say anything, just took a seat beside him and pulled a flask out of his pocket. He took a swig and offered it to the demon. 

Crowley accepted it wordlessly. 

_ No _ Aziraphale thought, _ this is exactly where I’m meant to be. _

_ … _

_ “ _So how did the whole telling a teenage girl she would be giving birth child of god thing go?” Crowley sprawled in his seat, kicking his feet over the back, disturbing other tavern patrons. 

“She called me _ Gabriel _. I don’t think I’ve ever been so insulted in my life.”

“One of these days you have _ got _to tell me why you hate that guy so much.” 

“I don’t hate him. I’m an angel! I don’t _ hate _anybody!”

“Not even me?”

“Especially not you.”

“But you hate _ him _.”

“Oh, shut up!”

…

_ “Why do you insist on wasting time with these creatures?” _

_ “Don’t knock it until you try it. They might surprise you.” _

_ “Well trousers seem like a pretty ingenious idea.” _

…

“So how long do you intend to carry on with your self imposed exile, Angel?”

Aziraphale had narrowly avoided being promoted (and subsequently reassigned) this afternoon, and now he and Crowley were enjoying a nice vintage and the chocolates he had brought over. 

“I’m not in exile.” _ Liar. _

“Please Aziraphale. You had the perfect opportunity to go home a hero today. But you kept making excuses.”

“You were the one to make them reconsider. May you’re the one who doesn’t want me leaving.”

Crowley glared at him from his seat. 

“Come on. We’re friends. What’s this about really? You can tell me.”

“We’re not not friends.”

He gave him a despondent look. 

He took a deep breath despite not having working lungs. “Alright, fine. A long time ago there was a Principality. I wanted to be with him forever.”

“I think remember something about that. Yeah.”

“I don’t remember what happened to him, but I think he ended up on the wrong side of the war.”

“What makes you so sure it was the wrong side?”

“the losing side is generally considered the wrong side. But that’s not the point.”

“Then what is _ the point?” _

“The point is, How can I enjoy paradise when he’s not there?”

Crowley put a hand on his shoulder. “So you’re just going to suffer for something that isn’t your fault?”

Except, it was his fault. He had noticed his Principality first. Had continued to frequent the astrophysics department just to catch a glimpse of him. 

He was the one who turned the poor Principality’s head. If he had only stuck to his own sphere…

Maybe the Almighty’s plan for him wouldn’t have been interrupted. Maybe he would be up there still, blissfully adding more to an ever expanding universe. 

He couldn’t remember the particulars of the first war but it was his fault that his Principality fell. He just knew it.

“Listen Angel,” at some point Crowley had gotten up and was now leaning over him. “I’m pretty sure your Principality is dead. But I _ know _ he wouldn’t want you doing this to yourself. He would want you to move on. He would want you to be happy.” he swallowed thickly. “With or without him.”

Later he would blame it on the alcohol, but in the moment he simply smiled and closed the gap between them. “I am happy.” He says. 

There was no taste of iron and ionized gasses in this kiss, but wine and expensive chocolates. Aziraphale found it lovely all the same.

...

“_ Bastard.” _Aziraphale wanted to shout. He wanted to rage and throw books around his shop. 

He settled for sliding down a shelf and breaking down into sobs that shook his whole body. 

_ Holy Water. _

How dare he? How dare that snake kiss him one decade and have the _ gall _ to ask him for the means for his own destruction the next? 

How dare he share Aziraphale’s bed, _ dream _with him, only to decide that leaving him alone for the rest of eternity could be any sort of option. 

He pulled out the small red star burning a hole in his pocket. Crowley was right, his Principality _ was _ dead. 

It was all too much. He threw it against the wall where it shattered like glass. He wanted to grind it under his shoe. 

Instead he gathered the pieces, ever so gently, pushing hand to hand, delicately molding it.

He sang to the star softly. 

The shards burned his fingers but he didn’t care. 

...

“Shut your mouth and die already.” 

Crowley gave Gabriel an icy glare with Aziraphale’s eyes. 

It was the strangest thing, when their eyes locked, Crowley could feel something.

He’s not an angel anymore and love isn’t exactly his field of expertise, but _ coveting _. That was just his thing. Perhaps more so than most demons. The last six thousand years had made him a master of temptation. He had a real knack for seeing to the selfish center of people and often guided them toward it. 

When he gazed into those purple eyes, it was like seeing Gabriel’s story written on his soul like a lame novel.

He wanted Aziraphale. (He hadn’t been so popular with the lower angels these days. But _Aziraphale_ was widely beloved. Having him by his side could fix that.) But not real Aziraphale an Aziraphale that was harmonious and obedient, and placid. 

A bloody boring version of Azirapahle if you asked him.

And again, Crowley is no expert on love but he’s pretty sure that’s not it.

***

The fire spitting was totally justified if you asked him.

These feather brains were going to think twice before threatening them again. 

“A word, Zira?” Gabriel stopped him at the elevator. 

“What more could you possibly want?” He groaned. 

Gabriel smiled, “I knew it. You’re not Zira.”

“He really hates that name, you know.” Crowley saw no point in pretending further. He spread his feet into a fighting stance. 

Could he fight an Archangel? He was about to find out. He got the feeling that Aziraphale’s body would pack a punch though. Maybe take Gabriel down with him. Anything so long as Aziraphale stayed safe. 

“It’s you, isn’t it? Not just that demon from the airfield, but that Principality from before.”

“No sense denying it. Yeah, you caught me. Long time no see, Gabriel.”

“Of course it’s you. It’s always you. No matter what I do to put you in your place you always come back to lead him astray.”

Crowley… really didn’t have time to unpack all of that. He decided to put a pin in it for later. Sometime when he didn’t feel a fight brewing. 

“If you kill me will you let him go?” He asked wearily. 

Gabriel looked like someone had just hit him over the head with a frozen salmon. Crowley tried not to laugh at the image. “What?”

“You heard me.” Crowley plowed forward, feeling more confident now. “I’m the one who keeps Leading him astray. If I’m out of the picture he would be able to blend back into the fold wouldn’t he? Besides the lower angels love him! You need the popularity he would bring.”

“But you would be dead. How would any of this benefit you? “

“He would be alive? And I’d rather have that?”

“He’ll never love you. Not the way you want him to.”

_ That _ stung. “Yeah. I know. No need to be _ rude _.”

“But I don’t understand.”

Crowley pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, Gabe, can I call you Gabe? Look, it’s- it’s like this, if you have to ask then I can’t explain it to you.”

Gabriel’s expression went from bludgeoned to choked. “I - I- just go. I won’t tell anyone about your switch.”

Now it was Crowley’s turn to feel like he had been bludgeoned, “wait, what?” 

“Leave demon. Before I change my mind, which I clearly have lost.”

“Okay.”

He bolted into the elevator. 

“What heav- What the hel- What the fuck?”

…

Meanwhile, Gabriel stood staring out the window not really seeing the Silver City for a week. Eventually he called Sandalphon to tell him that he would be taking an indefinite sabbatical and to make the necessary arrangements. 

He had a lot to think about right now.

…

After everything that happened, Crowley and Aziraphale both felt a change of scenery was in order. And as it turned out that Crowley had a nice little safe house in the South Downs. So they took the logical next step. 

The safe house was a dear little cottage on the outside but the inside looked very… safe housey. It took a lot of work to get it to be homey and charming. 

A garden for Crowley. And quite frankly physics defying library for aziraphale. 

It had all come together quite nicely really. A proper home. Oh there was the odd squabble here and there.

“For somebody’s sake, Angel! You can’t just bring every lost soul into our home!” 

And “please stop throwing mint into our neighbor’s gardens!”

But all in all, they were happy. 

“You do know you don’t have to hang laundry like that, and dryers are a thing, right Angel? For that matter why are you doing laundry at all?”

“Well you know how I feel about miracling stains.” He dug a hand into Crowley’s fathomless coat pockets, pulling out money, a couple figurines from ancient civilizations barely remembered, several of the more sentimental letters Aziraphale had written him over the years, a couple of quills, a ceremonial dagger, a Laurell crown, and something that felt warm and familiar to his touch. He pulled out a string of stars that Aziraphale somehow knew had once been broken. 

“Why do you have this?.” He asked in a hoarse whisper.

“I made it for someone I wanted to spend eternity with.” He answered. “I don’t think he knew that part. He would always come around and I would see him from my tower. And I was _inspired._ he designed the snake, you know?

“But, then there was the whole war thing, I kinda rebelled. I don’t think he ever forgave me for turning my back on her. Why else would it have been left on the ground like that, huh?”

”_Oh Crowley_.” 

“But, It ddid get me through the timeless time I spent in hell before clawing my way topside. I’d hate to think of what would have become of me without the light in the dark it provided. I would think of it as you keeping me safe and sane.”

“It’s still so beautiful.”

Crowley had taken it and gently affixed it to his hair.

“It’s still yours if you want it.” He said softly.

Aziraphale looked in the mirror, and giggled. “I feel so silly! I’m afraid I just don’t feel like the naive young cherub who would wear Stars in his hair.”

“Then how about your hand?” Crowley removed it from his hair and wrapped it around his finger instead.

Aziraphale inspected the hand and smiled. “Oh! Here!” He pulled out a ring made from a strange ethereal substance from his pocket. It was threaded with golden veins holding it together. 

“It’s different from when I first made it for you, but I suppose _ we’re _different too.”

Crowley took it reverently. He placed it gently on his left hand. 

Different now for having been broken but still beautiful. More complicated now, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

_ No _ , Aziaraphale thought as Crowley pulled him in for another kiss (this one tasting of garden herbs and the salty sea air), _ not a bad thing at all. _

…

The Principality Gabriel (He had been horrified at first, but was gradually coming to accept it as Her Will. And if he was honest, it wasn’t so bad really.) walked down the beach. it really was quite beautiful here. The chalk hills, the quiet waters. 

A kindly old woman had given him some kind of pastry but it was still in his hand growing cold. 

He was interrupted by the sound of music. 

There was a wedding reception off in the distance. 

How charming.

Clever sentimental creatures, humans. Filling their time with weddings and holidays. There really was no way of knowing whether the Almighty approved of a union or not but they pushed through anyway. 

Maybe he would sneak in the back and bless the new couple. It turns out he quite liked doing little things like that. 

Sometimes, he wondered if he just stared at them long enough, he might gain some understanding of Aziraphale. And what he had meant all those millennia ago. 

The couple, to his surprise, was two men. Not that Gabriel had any problem with that. But these kinds of weddings were so rare these days. If he was still on speaking terms with Aziraphale, he would ask why that was. 

He snuck in quite easily. It was a beach wedding and there were plenty of people there. What would one more be?

But to his surprise, there were a few lower ranking and Angels and even a couple of the Lilim (younger demons born of Lilith, not fallen) scattered among the humans. There was also, he noted, a young American senator by the name Dowling (heaven was actually keeping close watch on him because he was one of the only politicians that was going to be one of theirs) talking to a young Man who used to be the Antichrist. They shared a table with a witch and a nervous looking man in glasses. 

Thankfully, someone else would be handling this act of insubordination. These things were no longer his responsibility. 

That was when he realized the bride and groom weren’t a human couple. 

Aziraphale looked so different in his champagne dress and starry veil it took Gabriel a moment to recognize him. 

He and the demon seemed to be the only ones on the dance floor. The Demon-Crowley twirled him around and Gabriel caught a glimpse of aziraphale’s face. 

His breath caught. 

Aziraphale was smiling, truly smiling, as trouble free and giddy as he had been as Cherub. Breathtaking. Radiant. 

How long had it been since he had seen him smiling like that? 

Gabriel turned away and headed back the way he came. He snapped his fingers and a gift appeared on a heavily laden table. A violin. A beautiful smoky grey instrument, carved from a tree that didn’t grow on earth. Aziraphale had always been so very good at it. He hoped recent events hadn’t put him off of music entirely. 

_This belonged to you once. It only feels right to return it. Good Luck._

_-G_

The Principality Gabriel walked away into the starry night, singing to himself ever so softly.

_ “...How do catch a moonbeam in your hand?...” _

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Title is from Sound of music. I feel like how “do you solve a problem like Maria” is a very Aziraphale song.  
2\. I feel like both Aziraphale and Crowley would be popular among the lower tiers of their sides and that’s why there were angels and demons at the wedding.  
3\. Crowley is wearing a starry dress Gabriel just didn’t take note of it.


End file.
